Authorities in South Africa apprehended an individual who confessed to causing a fire that resulted in the deaths of 76 individuals last year. He stated that he set the fire while attempting to dispose of the body of a man he had previously strangled.
During the inquiry into the August fire at a downtown Johannesburg apartment building, the man’s testimony included a startling and unforeseen confession. This fire was considered one of the worst disasters in South Africa.
According to reports from South African media, a man whose name was not revealed admitted during an inquiry that he had beaten and strangled another man on the night of the fire.
According to the reports, he stated that he proceeded to douse the man’s body with gasoline and used a match to set it on fire.
He admitted to using drugs and claimed that a drug dealer who resided in the building instructed him to murder the man.
Later, the police announced that they had apprehended a 29-year-old individual who had admitted to playing a role in the fire during the investigation. The man, whose identity was not disclosed, is now facing charges of 76 counts of murder, 120 counts of attempted murder, and arson according to a statement released by the police.
The inquiry he was speaking at was formed to investigate the potential reasons for the fire. The panel overseeing the inquiry directed that his identity remain confidential during his testimony, and the lawyer conducting the witness questioning stated that it could not be used against him as it was not a criminal case.
The media in South Africa referred to him as “Mr X” after he stated that he was responsible for the fire that destroyed a rundown five-story building in downtown Johannesburg. This fire resulted in the deaths of several people, including 12 children, and left over 80 injured during the night.
The South African authorities announced that the man’s court appearance will take place in the near future, but did not provide a specific date.
The blaze brought global focus to the enduring issue of “hijacked buildings” in downtown Johannesburg. These dilapidated structures have been occupied by squatters and neglected by authorities, with hundreds of them found in the city’s historic center according to officials.
The ownership of the building in Johannesburg belonged to the city, but it was currently under the control of unlawful landlords who were leasing units to numerous impoverished individuals in need of housing. A large portion of the tenants were immigrants who were believed to have entered South Africa without proper authorization.
According to Mr. X’s testimony, the building was a den of illegal activity and was under the control of drug traffickers.
During the incident, emergency personnel noted that the majority of the building’s fire escapes had been secured with locks or chains, leading to a more fatal outcome of the fire.
According to witnesses and health officials, numerous individuals leaped from windows, some from as high as three stories, in an attempt to flee the raging fire.
Several individuals reported having to drop their infants and young children out the window, hoping that others on the ground would catch them. Numerous individuals who attempted to escape by jumping from the windows sustained serious injuries, such as broken limbs and backs.
The president of South Africa, Cyril Ramaphosa, instructed an investigation into the tragedy, which began in October with statements from emergency responders who arrived at the scene of the fire in the early hours of August 31.
Last year, the acting head of emergency services in Johannesburg testified during the inquiry that the building was a serious threat due to its overcrowded conditions and lack of essential fire safety equipment such as hoses and extinguishers. The building also had a large number of residents living in wooden structures.
Source: theguardian.com
